Elevational control means for tandem disk harrows



ELEVATIONAL CONTROL MEANS FOR TANDEM DISK HARROWS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 25, 1944 Jan. 10, 1950 R. T. EVANS ETAL 2,494,381

ELEVATIONAL CONTROL MEANS 'FOR TANDEM DISK HARROWS y w\ MQ SQ QQ o Mm. Ill@ 00\ wN\ \nN\ @Q .www wm, n. R QN v 4 NN NN N\ Jan, 10, 1950 R. T. EVANS ET L. Y O 2,494,381

ELEVATIONAL CONTROL MEANS FOR TANDEM DISK HARROWS Filed April 25, 1944 3 She'etS-Sheet 3 JNVENTOQS RUSSELL 7,' EVA/vs Y JoH/v H. CLASE/V www Fon THE HRM atenteci Jan. 1Q, Q

This'in-ventionY relates1 to cultivating-tools, rand N-v-'h'asspecial reference to harrows particularly-lof the improved `offset ytype-of,` disk narrow.

-:A-'genera/l tobj ect of thai-invention is to; improve *cultivating implements, such 'as fthoseofetheoiset disk narrow Itype similar-:to 'that-'disclosedfin ftheipatent: to -Evans and Clasenv ,2,349,257 Serial tNo: 473,030, :of :which this applicationfisi la con- ,ltinnatonsin apart;l in order that the, penetration nof the disks or lotherfcultivating :vtools.;.-into 1 the '.earthrmay be.more :e1ciently regulatedv ando-in onder that: suehfaogtypewof vharrow.' l`or. a'similanzim- 4ilzlleznent Imaywbe more convenientlyomanaged, this being especially ytrue of heavy: disk fharrows. In offset disk narrows, a rif-ront gangffeofndisks iis imountedn-:oni a` common'axis which isflinciined aat: anxacutelanglef'to.-the;direction offtravel ofLthe lzfimplement, andra :rear gangaofidisks-:eis:'mounted ioni-as common axis whichris oppositelyinolinedf to Ifthe. .'linewoffftrayel .iso f thatr-the two axesmend f to -1c0nverge1at-one=side ofathe harrow. Infoperation `.the.twofgangsfof! disks :setupqa strong: tendency forwthe harrow'i'to swingabout afcenter point,

which tendency isresisted by a :hitchamechanism =eonnecti-ng the 'frontend 012 the narrow to antractoror other pulling device..Inithise'type of harmow', aug-round whee1 =is.--provided.ffat :each-I otithe iopposite-z .sides of :the u:learned/91 and, lthese-wheels aresmountedi-so Lthat .fthey.may-,beyerticallyi-ad- Mjusted relative to: the.. disks A-intorder-.to .varyithe penetration-of "the: `diskssirno the soil .being .eul-

t.tivated y:,-A-fparticulan.object ofsthefpresent inventiona-is to provide a novel,lecientgcontrol fon adjusting A.the :vertical spacing.' "of 'the ygrouncl--.wheels.with s ,ifelationto .the main framelof .anilimpleme'nt of ,.the disknarrow. typeA infv order to Yvaryqpenetration di the disks or. other -cultivating toolstinlto fthe soil, vand to elevate-the disks `or '.otherictoo'ls `above .the surface ofthe. .soilfon .purposes fof .turning-theabarrow,` ,or .transporting-. the .har-row fromr onelloca'ton to another. l-L'Antherf'object and featurelof the inventioneres'idesjin employing a ground wheel on one side of"the `harrow and a pair of ground wheels on"the. therfside Aof' the harrow, whereby'three points 'lof support Iare provided, and lso mountingthesmground Wheels that' they .may 'be independently adjusted to vary the'amount bfp'enetrationof the sl by the Various' disks. Another'bject and feature "`o`f H2 wheel. disks farthest forwards-While turning :the harrowtoward that.,sideaonz-whichftheforemost f.;.d-isks are. loca-ted, whichommonly is: the-right side ofthe aharrow.

L Another object-rettile:inyentionds to-.provid -omeansfor adjusting :the wheels'on-.oneesideioffthe gshamrowf with `respect tofa 'wheel' ,Orl-wheelson the other side of the barrow so that the harrow may vbeftifpped, fromvoneisideito ythe other-lor,.from.one

lo cen-nerto; anothenin orden-to Vshift fthe-weightaof fin Q5 Ithe*adjusting /meansv for the carriagaincludes :additional :means @operable #byl t, the A.driver 0L a ,tractor to adjust one ofefthe'wheelsdndependentyly" ofwthey other, wherebyfanfadjacent corneraof =.the`.harrow maybe vertically. .adjusted and ,thereby vary the position of variousudisks.

Inasmuchasthe. gangs of diskslandlthe. .main frameworkwhich-supportsthem` aremoyed relative. to" the ground. .wheelsas the means for ad- .'jnsting thegroundwheels are..moved,.such,ad

iustment-.-may beconsidered..as being A.either .an

`adjustment@of the groundf, Wheels 'Ormani ,adjustment-df the gangsiof disks and the frameworklby .Whichltheyoare oarried. `.-,Sini1r1y`,`. the resultant ,relative movement of .'.the framework supporting 40 the .disks/may Abe considered as atiltingor, 'tipping arelativeiadjustment of "the Y.parts may` be'r't'aken.

"Further, for convenience lof description; the l s'ide ,-of. theharrow and their'am-ework Awherefthe two `,gangs of 'disksjtend to converge` willbe referred vtoas .thefland side',rbecauselthe natural .cultiva- 'this invention is toprovide' means'for adjusting .a 'forward ground' Wheel with Tespct'to the other lground wheels so that a Yforward -'corner .'ofthe 'implement'maybe 'lifted'to eleva-te adiacenti disks `to av position"tociearthesih "a's -for turningth'e toward .undisturbed soil; andL `theopposite' side of the harrow will be referred to' a's.'.the' ,fiurrow side,inasmuch as thatside is Aadjace'ntilandf;al- .Yre'ady cultivated .-Yor .urrow'ed i Forffurther conyenience, especially inrreferringtolturlning moveimplement. L "Accordingito'` a` preferred `"form of ,ments'f the land iside, 0r "SideV 'toward 'W'hchf'the gangs .'o'fdisksltend 'to converge; will 'be 'referred to` asthe "leftsidef ,andjthe'jfurrow side,l or' the sidetoward which the gangs ."ofj disksdiverga *1,60 -will be referred to as the '.right side.

""Oth'en'objects and` advantages of""'theinven tion will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, which are merely illustrative of certain embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a plan view of a disk harrow embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is principally a side elevation as indicated by the line 2-2, of Fig. 1, the nearer portions of the framework being .broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation from the opposite side of that of Fig. 2, as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a skeletonized fragmentary perspective view showing the disk adjusting and regulating mechanism in full lines and the supporting framework in dot-and-dash lines; and Fig. 5 is a detail partly in section and partly in elevation of a portion of one of the means employed for adjusting the relative position of the means carrying the ground wheels, this view being taken approximately from the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The harrow illustrated in the drawings includes as its principal parts: a horizontally disposed main framework F which comprises a front gang frame A carrying forward disks I0, a rear gang frame B carrying rear disks I2, and a plurality of parallel connecting bars I4, I5 and I6 in the form of angle irons extending longitudinally of the direction of travel of the harrow; a hitch frame C; and a depth regulating and disk adjusting mechanism D which is shown in full lines in Fig. 4 and comprises principally a wheel positioning frame or carriage 26 carrying a rear furrow side wheel 2I and a pair of forward furrow-side transport wheels 22 which may be considered as a single wheel, accompanying regulating and lifting mechanism 24 connected with the forward end of the carriage 20 to lift the leading corner of the main frame F, individual disk adjusting mechanism 25 for a land side wheel .26, Iand individual diskadg'usting mechanism 28 and 30, respectively, for the Wheel 2| and thewheels 22.

The front gang frame A comprises forward and rear parallel side rails 32 and 33 of angle iron construction, and the rear gang frame B comprises forward and rear parallel side rails 34 and 35 of angle iron construction, to all of which side rails the connecting bars I4, I5 and I6 are rigidly secured to complete with the gang frames A and B a rigid main framework supporting the disks I and I2 and other operating mechanism in properly spaced relation, the main frame being normally horizontally disposed.

The front gang frame A is provided with end bars 36 and also with a plurality of supporting brackets 31 secured to the Vside rails 32 and 33 and carrying bearings 38 which receive and support a gang rod-assembly 39 carrying the forward disks I0. Similarly, the gang frame B is provided with end bars 40 and with bearing support brackets 4I which are secured to the side rails 34 and 35 and carry bearings 42 which receive and support a gang rod-assembly 43 for the disks I2.

The front gang frame A and the rear gan frame Band their respective disk assemblies IU and I2 are characteristically disposed angularly with respect to each other so that they converge toward the land side wheel 26, this relationship being maintained by the shorter connecting bar I4 on the land side of the main framework, the intermediate connecting bars I which have progressively increasing lengths and the long connecting bar I6 on the furrow side of the harrow. Thus, as shown, the disks I0 are set to turn the earth toward the right of the direcf tion of travel of the harrow, which direction is indicated vby the arrow 45 in Figs. l and 4, that is, away from the land side wheel 26 toward the furrow side wheels 2i and 22. The disks I2 and the rear gang frame B are set to turn the earth toward the left side of the direction of travel or toward the land side. The land side disk of the front disks I6 is so positioned forwardly of the land side wheel 25 that the wheel 26 travels on the relatively compact earth at the bottom of a furrow formed by that disk I6, while the furrow 'side wheels 2I and 22 travel in a furrow lcut by' a disk I 6 directly ahead of the wheels 2l and 22 into which furrow an adjacent disk I6 has thrown only a relatively small amount of freshly loosened earth, and into which loose earth the wheels 2I and 22 sink'to different extents according to the character of the soil. This sinking, however, is minimized to an important degree by reason of the employment of the two transport wheels 22 side by side, thereby to provide a broad bearing surface such as would be furnished by a single wheel having a broad tread. For the purposes of this description the two wheels 22 may be viewed as a single broad treaded wheel.

The combined influences of the two gangs of disks i@ and ltend to swing the harrow toward the land side wheel 26, that is, to the left, as the harrow is drawn forward. This tendency of the harrow to swing is resisted by the hitch mechanism C shown in Fig. 1 which is hingedly secured to the front gang frame A and comprises a forwardly extending hitch bar 46 to be pivotally attached to a tractor in a well known manner, a brace bar 48 secured at its forward end to the hitch bar 46 as shown at 49, and a cross bar 5i! which parallels the side rail 32 of l.the front gang frame A and is connected at 5I and 52 to the rear ends of the bars 46 and 48, respectively. The cross bar 56, which may be two angle irons so disposed as to form a hollow structure square in cross section, is hinged to the rail 32 by means of a plurality of spaced brackets 54 on therrail 3 2 pivotally mounted between corresponding spaced pairs of ears 55 on the bar 50 as indicated as 5E. The land side end of the cross bar 50 also carries a pair of ears 58 hingedly connected at 59 to one end ofa radius bar 60 whose other end is secured upon and longitudinally positions the outer end of a stub axle 62 on which is mounted the land side ground Wheel 2'6. The stub axle 62 is welded at 63 to a cross shaft 64 with respect to which it isthereby offset. The shaft 64 extends transversely acrossthe middle of the harrow to the opposite side where it provides a mounting upon which the wheel carriage 20 rocks. The right or furrow-side end of the shaft 64 and the carriage 2B are positioned longitudinally of the harrow by means of radius arms or bars 65 pivotally connected at 66 on the converging lower ,ends of respective pairs of positioning links 66 and 69 whose upper ends are secured in spaced relation to the adjacent connecting bars I5 of the main framework. The rocking of the carriage 20 upon the shaft 64 is accomplished by extending the shaft 64 throujgh two parallel spaced bars 'ID which form the opposite sides oi the carriage 20. As shown, the spaced relationship of the arms 10 is maintained by means -through the medium of a hand crankv |,05a4 inrthe same way that the reach rod is adjusted by hand-crank |05. For purposes of raising and lowering the land side of the main frame and the, adjacent connecting bar |4 with respect to the land side=wheel A26, the adjusting mechanism 25'is provided` and Iactuated in the same manner as the adjusting mechanism 28 for the furrow side wheel 2 l|. f The mechanism 25 comprises a rock shaft |30 mounted in brackets |32 secured to the adjacent frame Abars |4 and l5, the rock shaft |30'being prevented from shifting longitudinally by means of -short sleeves |33. secured thereon at `opposite sides of one of the brackets |32.

The shaft |30 is rocked by means of an upstanding controlv arm |35 fixed thereon and a reach rod |00b whose forward end is provided with bifurcations-pivoted to the upper end of-the arm |35 as indic-ated at |36. The rod |00b has the same construction and mounting as the reach rods |00 and |00a, and is secured to an adjacent frame bar l in the same manner and operated by -a hand crank l05b in the same way as indicated .in Fig. 5. Fixedly secured on the outer endorv land side end of the rock shaft |30 is an arm |38 vwhose swinging end is pivoted'at |39 to a l-ink |40 Xedly secured to the stub shaft 62-upon .which the land side wheel 26 is carried. Byoperation of the hand crank |05b, therod |00b is moved longitudinally and operates through the arm |35,- the rock-shaft |30, the arm |38-and the link |40, to raise and lower the Aadjacent portion of the main frame for positioning of lthe adjacent disks |0 and l2 of the gang frames A and B, either for proper penetration of the'soil by the harrow or for transport from one -location to another. I

Operation In operating the harrow herein disclosed, the forward end of the hitch arm 46 will be connected to a tractor or other pulling device for movement longitudinally of the harrow and in a direction indicated by the arrow 45, and the j wheels 2|, 22 and 26 will be adjusted through the dmedium of the hand cranks |05, |05a, and |05b to provide such spacing of these wheels with respect to the main frame carrying the/disks |0 and |2 as will provide for proper penetration of e the soil being cultivated. In normal operation,

the land side disk I0 of the front gang forms 'a furrow. in the bottom of which the land side 'wheel 26 travels, the land side edge of the wheel 26 tending to crowd against the land wall of this furrow Thetransport wheels 22 at the furrow side, or right side, of the harrow travel on .freshly disked soil and tend to pack the soil for vtravel thereover of the furrow side wheel. 2|.

Assuming Ia normal disking operation in average soil, the wheels 2|, 22 and 26 are set at an intermediate position with respect to the main frame and the disks l0 and I2, whereby the disks l0 and y.l2 penetrate the soil to a desired depth,' the weight of the main frame and the disks being such as to insure such desired penetration.

In order to increase penetration of the disks into the soil as the soil varies, or where deeper penetration is desired, the carriage carrying the wheels 2| and 22 may be adjusted relative to the main frame and the disks VI0 and l2 carried thereby so that the vertical spacing between the carriage 20 and the main frame is reduced, thereby permitting the main frame to settle and cause the disks l0 and I2 to penetrateY the soil |05. extends the stop sleeve 98 farther forward: so

`-more deeply.- adjustment is accomplished by rotating the hand crank |05 so as to lengthen Vthe reach rod member |00 by means of the threaded connection between the internally tlreadedportion |03 of the tubular rod |00 and the screw threaded portion |04 of the crank Such lengthening ofthe reach rod 99, |00

thatthe drag link 84 and the stop lug 93 may move forward under the influence of the weight of the harrow Iby* reason of the rocking of the Y rock shaft 80 and the arms 82 and 85 to permit relative elevation, of the links 86 and the forward end of the lcarriage 20 together with the transport wheels 22. Such adjustment alone would cause lowering of `the most forward portion of the narrow frame to cause deeper penetration of the soil bythe disks |0 on the furrow side end vof the front gang frame A.l This positioning. would result vin a tilting of .the harrow' and could be employed in the event of its beingf'de- Vsired to shift 'soil toward the furrow side.

To Ibalance up the furrow side, or right side, of the barrow frame, the hand crank |05a would then -be manipulated to shorten the reach rod |00a whereby` to reduce the spacing between the main frameand the furrow wheel 2|, this being a result of a rocking of the rock shaft |20 by the -control arrn |25 in a direction Opposite to the motionvo-f the rock shaft just described,

' and permitting the relative elevation of the arms |22, the connecting links |23 and the rear ,end of the wheel carriage 20 together with the furrow wheel 2|. With this adjustment ,of the furrow side wheel 2| and the transport wheels 22 with respect to the main frame of the harrow, without any adjustment of the land side wheel with respect to the land side of the main frame,

the furrow side of the main frame will be leveled up with a resultant greater penetration into the soil by the furrow side disks |2, and less penetration of the furrow side disks l0 into the .soil than whenonly the wheels 22 had beenadvjusted to lower the forward right corner of the main frame. With the adjustment of both the furrow side wheel 2| and the transport wheels 22, whereby the wheel carriage 20 is leveledwith respect to the earth, the land side Wheel 26,

`however, remaining unadjusted, the Whole .har-

row frame is tilted towardthe furrow side,":or the right side, of the harrow as it travels vforwardly, with a resultant corresponding shift-,in weight toward the furrow side which tends to Ashift the cultivated soil somewhat more toward .shaft 62 and the land side wheel 26 with respect to the adjacent side of the main frame, thereby `lowering the land side disks |0 and I2 forvdeeper penetration into the soil.

. -If the rear end of the wheel carriage 20 be adjusted to reduce the spacing between the furrow side wheel 2| and the harrow frame so that the penetration of the furrow side disks |2 on ,the rear gang frame B is greater than the penetra.- tion into vthe earth of the forward disks lll,` there for drawing the harrow forward: `a ground wheel disposed near one side of said-frame to support the same; a forward ground wheel and a rearward ground wheel adjacent the opposite side of said frame; a longitudinally extending carriage in op- Y posite ends of which said forward and rearward ground vwheels are mounted; means carried by said frame and connected with the forward end of said carriage for adjusting the vertical relationship between said forward ground wheel and said frame; and means carried by said frame and connected with the rear end of said carriage for adjusting the vertical relationship between saidl means for independently lifting a portion of said j frame adjacent saidY forward ground Wheel is connected by a lost motion connection to said adjust ing means which is connected with the forward end of said carriage.

5. In combination in a harrow having a main frame carrying a front gang of disks inclined to the direction of travel of the harrow and a rear gang of disks inclined to the direction of travel of the harrow and converging toward one side: a ground wheel at the side of the harrow toward which said gangs converge; a rearward ground wheel at the opposite side of said narrow; a forward transport wheel at said opposite side of said harrow and spaced from said rearward ground wheel; an elongated carriage in which said rear-- ward andk foward wheels are mounted; means connecting the end of said carriage adjacent said rearward wheel to said frame; and means on said frame adjustably connected with' the end of said carriage adjacent said forward wheel and adapted to adjust the relative spacing of the forward end of said carriage. with respect to said frame.

6. A combination according to claim 5 wherein the means connecting the rearward end of said carriage with said frame is adapted for adjusting the vertical spacing of said rearward end of said carriage with respect to said frame.

'7. A combination according to claim 5 wherein means is provided for lifting a forward portion of said frame with respect to said forward wheel independently of adjustment for normal spacing between said carriage and said frame by said means adjacentsaid forward wheel.

8. In combination in a harrow having a main frame carrying a front gang of disks inclined in the direction of travel of the harrow and a rear gang of disks inclined in the direction of travel of the narrow, said gangs converging toward one side: a ground wheel at the side of the harrow toward which said gangs converge; a rearward ground wheel at the opposite side of the harrow a forward ground wheel at said opposite side of said harrow spaced from said rearward ground wheel; an elongated carriage in which said rearward and forward ground wheels are mounted; means, pvotally connecting a rearward portion of said carriage to an adjacent portion of said harrow frame, said rearward ground wheel being disposed an appreciable distance forward of said pivotal connecting means; and vmeans adjustably connecting the forward end of said carriage with said harrow frame for adjusting the relative spacing of said forward ground wheel with respectY to said frame, whereby a limited amount of ad` justment of said rearward ground wheel with respect to said harrow frame is produced when said forward ground wheel is adjusted with respect to said frame. 9. In combination in an implement having a main 'frame carrying front and rear gangs of cultivating tools, and having hitch means for drawing the implement forward: a rst ground wheel on one side 'of saidy frame; 'a second groundv wheel on 'the side of said frame opposite said first ground wheel;` a forward transport wheel on said opposite side of said frame; a carriage mounted upon said opposite side of said frame, saidV second ground wheel and said transport wheel being journaled in said carriage in positions substantially xed with respect to said carriage; means connected with said frame and said carriage for positively retaining said wheels and carriage in a normal operating position; and means connected with said frame and said carriage for moving said transport wheel to vary its vertical spacing with respectV to said frame and hold it in such position.

l0. A combination as in claim 9 including: a` oating shaft upon which said carriage is mount-y ed; and radius arms connected with said frameV to positionsaid carriage.

.11. A combination'asin claim 9'wherein said retaining Vmeans includes: rock shafts carried by said frame; linkages respectively connecting said rock shafts with opposite ends of said carriage; and means connected with said frame to control the positions of said rock shafts. 12. In a combination as in claim 9: a floating shaft upon which said first ground wheel and said carriage are mounted; radius rods connected with said frame andvpositioning the ends of said shaft; and means connected with said rst ground wheel and the ends of said carriage for adjusting the' positions of said wheels and positively maintaining said wheels in adjusted positions. 13. In combination in a cultivating implement' having a main frame carrying cultivating tools; and having hitchfmeans for drawing the implement forward: a rst ground wheel on one side of said frame; a rearward ground wheeland a for-- ward transport wheel on the side of said frame' lopposite from said first ground wheel; a carriage at said opposite side of said frame,said rearfI ward ground wheel and forward transport wheel being mounted in opposite ends of the said carriage; and means connecting said opposite ends of said carriage with said main frame, said connecting means including means for varying the vertical spacing of one end of said carriage with respect to said main frame.

14. A combination as in claim 13 wherein the ,last named means includes means operable by the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date `2,320,742 Newkirk June 1, 1943 2,349,257 Evans May 23, 1944;; 2,356,876 Newkirk .V... Aug. 29, 195451 i 

